As described herein, information apparatuses refer generally to computing devices, which include both stationary computers and mobile computing devices (pervasive devices). Examples of such information apparatuses include, without limitation, desktop computers, laptop computers, networked computers, palmtop computers (hand-held computers), personal digital assistants (PDAs), Internet enabled mobile phones, smart phones, pagers, digital capturing devices (e.g., digital cameras and video cameras), Internet appliances, e-books, information pads, and digital or web pads. An output device may include any one or more of fax machines, printers, copiers, image and/or video display devices (e.g., televisions, monitors and projectors), and audio output devices. For simplicity and convenience, hereafter, the following description may refer to an output device as a printer and an output process as printing. However, it should be understood that the term printer and printing used in the discussion of present invention may refer to a specific example used to simplify description or may be one exemplary embodiment. The reference to printer and printing used here is intended to be applied or extended to the larger scope and definition of output devices and should not be construed as restricting the scope and practice of present invention.
Fueled by ever-increasing bandwidth and processing power and ever-increasing numbers of wireless mobile devices and available software applications for pervasive devices, millions of users are or will be creating, downloading, and transmitting content and information using their pervasive computing devices. As a result, there is a need to allow users to easily output content and information from their pervasive computing devices to any output device. People need to output directly and conveniently from their pervasive information apparatus, without depending on synchronizing with a stationary computer (e.g., desktop personal computer) for printing, as an example.
To illustrate, an information worker at an airport receiving Email in his hand-held computer may want to walk up to a nearby printer or fax machine to have his e-mail printed. In addition, the mobile worker may also want to print a copy of his to-do list, appointment book, business card, and his flight schedule from his mobile device. As another example, a user reading a news article using his/her Internet-enabled pager or mobile phone may want to print out the complete article instead of reading it through the small screen on the pager or mobile device. In still another example, a user visiting an e-commerce site using his mobile phone may want to print out pictures of the product he/she is buying because the pictures (image and/or graphics) may not be displayed on the small screen of his/her mobile phone. In yet another example, a user who takes a picture with a digital camera may want to easily print it out to a nearby printer. In still another example, a user with a mobile device may want to simply walk up to a printer and conveniently print a file that is stored on the mobile device or that is stored on a network (e.g., Internet, corporate network) and accessible from the mobile device, such as a PowerPoint® display application document, word processing document, or a document in any other file format such as PDF HTML, JPEG etc. In addition, a user should also be able to print a web page or a book or a report published on the Internet. Finally, a user may want to output a complete web page or any document or file to a larger display screen nearby, even though the small screen of his/her mobile device cannot completely display or open a document of such a size.
Conventionally, an output device (e.g., a printer) is connected to an information apparatus via a wired connection such as a cable line. A wireless connection is also possible by using, for example, radio communication or infrared communication. Regardless of wired or wireless connection, a user must first install in the information apparatus an output device driver (e.g., printer driver in the case the output device is a printer) corresponding to a particular output device model and make. Using a device-dependent or specific driver, the information apparatus may process output content or digital document into a specific output device's input space (e.g., printer input space). The output device input space corresponds to the type of input that an output device (e.g., a printer) understands (herein referred to as output data or print data in the case the output device is a printer). For example, the printer input space or print data may include printer specific input format (e.g., one or more of an image format, graphics format, text format, audio format, video format, file format, and data format), encoding, language (e.g., page description language, markup language etc), instructions, protocols or data that can be understood or used by a particular printer make and model.
Output data may be proprietary or published or a combination of the two. An output device's input space or output data is therefore, in general, device dependent. Different output device models may have their own input spaces specified, designed or adopted by the output device manufacturer (e.g., the printer manufacturer) according to a specification for optimal operation. Consequently, different output devices usually require use of specific output device drivers (e.g., printer drivers) for accurate output (e.g., printing). For example, a printer driver may control, manage, communicate, and output print data to a printer. Sometimes, instead of using a device driver (e.g., printer driver), the device driving feature may be included or as part of an application software.
Installation of a device driver (e.g., printer driver) or application may be accomplished by, for example, manual installation using a CD or floppy disk supplied by the printer manufacturer. Or alternatively, a user may be able to download that particular driver or application from a network. For a home or office user, this installation process may take anywhere from several minutes to several hours depending on the type of driver and user's sophistication level with computing devices and networks. Even with plug-and-play driver installation, the user is still required to execute a multi-step process for each printer or output device.
This installation and configuration process adds a degree of complexity and work to end-users who may otherwise spend their time doing other productive or enjoyable work. Moreover, many unsophisticated users may be discouraged from adding new peripherals (e.g., printers, scanners, etc.) to their home computers or networks to avoid the inconvenience of installation and configuration. Therefore, there is a need to provide a manner in which a user can more conveniently or easily output digital content to an output device without the inconvenience of finding and installing new device drivers or printer drivers.
In addition, conventional output or printing methods may pose significantly higher challenges and difficulties for mobile device users than for home and office users. The requirement for pre-installation of a device-dependent driver diminishes the benefit and concept of mobile (pervasive) computing and output. For example, a mobile user may want to print or output e-mail, PowerPoint® presentation documents, web pages, or other documents in an airplane or at an airport, gas station, convenient store, kiosk, hotel, conference room, office, home, etc. It is highly unlikely that the user would find at any of these locations a printer of the same make and model as is at the user's base station. It is usually not a viable option to pre-install all of the possible hundreds, or even thousands, of printer drivers or device drivers available to the user's information apparatus.
As a consequence, the user would currently have to install and configure a printer driver each time at each such remote location before printing. Moreover, the user may not want to be bothered with looking for a driver or downloading it and installing it just to print out or display one page of email at the airport. This is certainly an undesirable and discouraging process to promote pervasive or mobile computing. Therefore, a more convenient or automated printing and output solution is needed so that a user can simply walk up to an output device (e.g., printer or display device) and easily output a digital document without having to install or pre-install a particular output device driver (e.g., printer driver).
Another challenge for mobile users is that many mobile information apparatuses have limited memory space, processing capacity and power. These limitations are more apparent for small and low-cost mobile devices including, for example, PDAs, mobile phones, screen phones, pagers, e-books, Internet Pads, Internet appliances etc. Limited memory space poses difficulties in installing and running large or complete printer or device drivers, not to mention multiple drivers for a variety of printers and output devices. Slow processing speed and limited power supply create difficulties driving an output device. For example, processing or converting a digital document into output data by a small mobile information apparatus may be so slow that it is not suitable for productive output. Heavy processing may also drain or consume power or battery resources. Therefore, a method is needed so that a small mobile device, with limited processing capabilities, can still reasonably output digital content to various output devices.
Finally, some small mobile devices with limited display screens, such as mobile phones, may in some cases be limited to display only a few lines of text. Browsing the Internet with such devices can be a disappointing experience when viewing, for example, complex web pages containing rich formats, graphics, and images. Furthermore, some small mobile devices may not have appropriate applications to display complex documents or languages such as PDF-format files, word processing documents and PowerPoint® presentation documents etc. Typically, if an application is available, displaying complex original documents on small mobile devices may require downsizing the document or page into, for example, a few lines of text. As an example, WAP protocol, I-Mode, and web clipping among others may downsize, reduce or truncate information on the original web page for display on mobile devices. Therefore, it is desirable to allow mobile users to output from their small information apparatuses to an output device the full richness of the original document content.
One implementation of the present invention provides an easy, friendly and convenient process for digital output. Unlike conventional output or printing, a user does not have to manually pre-install a device driver (e.g., printer driver) from a CD, floppy disk, or download the driver somewhere from a network. This is well-suited for providing output capability to small and lower-cost mobile devices with limited memory space, power supply and processing capability to still be able to output or print to an output device.
In addition, this allows small mobile devices with limited display, processing power, and memory to be able to output a digital document (e.g., PDF, HTML, PowerPoint etc) in its full original richness, without resorting to downsizing, truncating, reducing, clipping or otherwise altering the original document. A user can output the original content or document even when the small mobile device cannot display or fully display the original digital document or content.
Finally, one implementation provides a convenient method allowing users to output to an output device with or without connection to a static network. Through local communication and synchronization between information apparatus and output device, hardware and software installation for static or permanent network connectivity may not be necessary for the output device.
Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.